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Moses Takes a Census of Israel

Yahweh spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai. It was the first day of the second month in the second year after leaving Egypt. He said, “Take a census of the whole community of Israel by families and households. List every man by name who is at least 20 years old. You and Aaron must register everyone in Israel who is eligible for military duty. List them by divisions. One man from each tribe will help you. Each of these men must be the head of a household.

“Here are the names of the men who will help you:

Elizur, son of Shedeur, from the tribe of Reuben;

Shelumiel, son of Zurishaddai, from the tribe of Simeon;

Nahshon, son of Amminadab, from the tribe of Judah;

Nethanel, son of Zuar, from the tribe of Issachar;

Eliab, son of Helon, from the tribe of Zebulun;

10 Elishama, son of Ammihud, from the tribe of Ephraim;

Gamaliel, son of Pedahzur, from the tribe of Manasseh;

(Ephraim and Manasseh are Joseph’s descendants.)

11 Abidan, son of Gideoni, from the tribe of Benjamin;

12 Ahiezer, son of Ammishaddai, from the tribe of Dan;

13 Pagiel, son of Ochran, from the tribe of Asher;

14 Eliasaph, son of Deuel, from the tribe of Gad;

15 Ahira, son of Enan, from the tribe of Naphtali.”

16 These were the men chosen from the community, the leaders of their ancestors’ tribes, and heads of the divisions of Israel.

17 Moses and Aaron took the men who had been named 18 and assembled the whole community on the first day of the second month. Each man at least 20 years old provided his genealogy by family and household. Then his name was listed. 19 So Moses registered the men of Israel in the Desert of Sinai as Yahweh had commanded him.

20 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Reuben, Israel’s firstborn son, listed every man by name who was at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 21 The total for the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.

22 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Simeon registered and listed every man by name who was at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 23 The total for the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.

24 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Gad listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 25 The total for the tribe of Gad was 45,650.

26 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Judah listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 27 The total for the tribe of Judah was 74,600.

28 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Issachar listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 29 The total for the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.

30 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Zebulun listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 31 The total for the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.

32 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Joseph—those from Ephraim—listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 33 The total for the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.

34 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Manasseh listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 35 The total for the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.

36 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Benjamin listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 37 The total for the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.

38 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Dan listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 39 The total for the tribe of Dan was 62,700.

40 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Asher listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 41 The total for the tribe of Asher was 41,500.

42 The roster of families and households for the descendants of Naphtali listed the men by name who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty. 43 The total for the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.

44 Moses, Aaron, and the 12 leaders of Israel, each representing his own family, added up these totals. 45 So the Israelites were registered by households. The grand total of men who were at least 20 years old and eligible for military duty 46 was 603,550.

47 But the households from the tribe of Levi were not registered along with the other Israelites. 48 Yahweh had said to Moses, 49 “Don’t register the tribe of Levi or include them in the census with the other Israelites. 50 Put the Levites in charge of the tent of God’s words, including the equipment for the tent and everything else having to do with the tent. The Levites will carry the tent and all its equipment. They will take care of the tent and camp around it. 51 When the tent has to be moved, the Levites will take it down. When we camp, they will set it up. Anyone else who comes near the tent will be put to death.

52 “The other Israelites will camp with each family in its own area under its own flag. 53 The Levites will camp all around the tent of God’s words. In this way the Lord won’t be angry with the community of Israel. So the Levites will be in charge of the tent of God’s words.”

54 The Israelites did everything as Yahweh commanded Moses.

The Census

The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting(A) in the Desert of Sinai(B) on the first day of the second month(C) of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt.(D) He said: “Take a census(E) of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families,(F) listing every man by name,(G) one by one. You and Aaron(H) are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more(I) and able to serve in the army.(J) One man from each tribe,(K) each of them the head of his family,(L) is to help you.(M) These are the names(N) of the men who are to assist you:

from Reuben,(O) Elizur son of Shedeur;(P)

from Simeon,(Q) Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;(R)

from Judah,(S) Nahshon son of Amminadab;(T)

from Issachar,(U) Nethanel son of Zuar;(V)

from Zebulun,(W) Eliab son of Helon;(X)

10 from the sons of Joseph:

from Ephraim,(Y) Elishama son of Ammihud;(Z)

from Manasseh,(AA) Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;(AB)

11 from Benjamin,(AC) Abidan son of Gideoni;(AD)

12 from Dan,(AE) Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;(AF)

13 from Asher,(AG) Pagiel son of Okran;(AH)

14 from Gad,(AI) Eliasaph son of Deuel;(AJ)

15 from Naphtali,(AK) Ahira son of Enan.(AL)

16 These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders(AM) of their ancestral tribes.(AN) They were the heads of the clans of Israel.(AO)

17 Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified, 18 and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month.(AP) The people registered their ancestry(AQ) by their clans and families,(AR) and the men twenty years old or more(AS) were listed by name, one by one, 19 as the Lord commanded Moses. And so he counted(AT) them in the Desert of Sinai:

20 From the descendants of Reuben(AU) the firstborn son(AV) of Israel:

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 21 The number from the tribe of Reuben(AW) was 46,500.

22 From the descendants of Simeon:(AX)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were counted and listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 23 The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.(AY)

24 From the descendants of Gad:(AZ)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 25 The number from the tribe of Gad(BA) was 45,650.

26 From the descendants of Judah:(BB)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 27 The number from the tribe of Judah(BC) was 74,600.

28 From the descendants of Issachar:(BD)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 29 The number from the tribe of Issachar(BE) was 54,400.(BF)

30 From the descendants of Zebulun:(BG)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 31 The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.(BH)

32 From the sons of Joseph:(BI)

From the descendants of Ephraim:(BJ)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 33 The number from the tribe of Ephraim(BK) was 40,500.

34 From the descendants of Manasseh:(BL)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 35 The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.

36 From the descendants of Benjamin:(BM)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 37 The number from the tribe of Benjamin(BN) was 35,400.

38 From the descendants of Dan:(BO)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 39 The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.(BP)

40 From the descendants of Asher:(BQ)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 41 The number from the tribe of Asher(BR) was 41,500.

42 From the descendants of Naphtali:(BS)

All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 43 The number from the tribe of Naphtali(BT) was 53,400.(BU)

44 These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron(BV) and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45 All the Israelites twenty years old or more(BW) who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families.(BX) 46 The total number was 603,550.(BY)

47 The ancestral tribe of the Levites,(BZ) however, was not counted(CA) along with the others. 48 The Lord had said to Moses: 49 “You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. 50 Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle(CB) of the covenant law(CC)—over all its furnishings(CD) and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle(CE) is to move,(CF) the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it.(CG) Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death.(CH) 52 The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard.(CI) 53 The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle(CJ) of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall(CK) on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.(CL)

54 The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses.